Cleveland Allen, accused of break and enter and attempting to commit a felony after police found him in the Bourda Market during prohibited hours, told a city court yesterday that he fell asleep in the market.
Allen, 24, of 283 Lamaha Park, told Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry that he is ill and would occasionally fall asleep and “black out.”
The court heard that on June 8th, at the Bourda Market, with intent to commit a felony, Allen broke and entered a stall. He was also charged with being an unauthorised person in the market during prohibited hours.
Allen admitted that he was in the market during prohibited hours but he denied breaking and entering the stall.
According to the police’s case, ranks from the city constabulary were conducting a search in the area when they observed the locks on a stall in the market were broken.
This prompted them to investigate, the prosecutor said, and he noted that although the locks were broken and the door ripped open, nothing was lost since a grill door prevented the intruder from proceeding further. Upon further checks, the constables found Allen on the rooftop of another stall.
But Allen said he had no intention of stealing. Instead, he said he fell asleep in the market owing to his illness, which sometimes causes him to fall asleep.
He was fined $20,000 for being in the market during prohibited hours, while he was released on $30,000 bail for the charge of break and enter with intent to commit a felony. The case was transferred to Court 10, where he will make his next court appearance on July 10th.
